The first marriage license to a same-sex couple in New Mexico’s Bernalillo County was issued this morning to a couple identified as Pat and Karen. “Can I kiss the bride, yet?” she asked after the ceremony at the Bernalillo County clerk’s office was complete.

Yesterday afternoon, a New Mexico district court judge in Albuquerque, Alan Malott, ruled that state’s ban on same-sex marriage was “unconstitutional and unenforceable” and has removed it from Bernalillo County, the state’s most-populous.

“I’m very happy and proud to finally be issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples in Bernalillo County. Furthermore, I am beyond relieved to have some judicial guidance in this matter that immediately resolves the conflict that existed between state law and our state constitution,” Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced upon hearing the ruling yesterday. “Marriage is a fundamental civil right that should be acknowledged and respected at all levels of government. Judge Malott’s ruling today has made it clear that the fundamental assumption of that civil right outweighs other technicalities and concerns.”

“This is a great day to be a resident of New Mexico,” said ACLU-NM Executive Director Peter Simonson. “Our state is now on the brink of joining the growing list of states who live and honor the values of family, liberty and love. Every family in this state is made richer by this step toward justice for all.”

TISSUE ALERT when you get to bottom of all this JOY!… Thanks
BUT ALSO from AP story, which even my local paper ran this AM:
Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver said she had 1,000 licenses printed in case Malott ordered her to issue licenses for same-sex marriages. Her office spent the day preparing for what is expected to be a flood of applicants Tuesday.
On Monday morning, couples were lined up in Santa Fe waiting for the clerk's office to open. More than 100 licenses had been issued by the end of the day, bringing to 157 the number of same-sex marriage licenses issued since Friday.
Dona Ana County Clerk Lynn Ellins began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples last Wednesday. He said 137 couples from around the state and from neighboring Texas got licenses last week, and more were in the works Monday. FROM AP story: http://tinyurl.com/n8j86mz